The secret is out! The Mansfield Tiger Wall of Fame (WOF) has unveiled an impressive list of the newest class to be inducted into the honorary society. This year’s lineup of eight Mansfield High School graduates proves that the Tigers really do go on to do incredible things. From an FBI agent to an Army chaplain, this class is packed with remarkable accomplishments and a whole lot of Tiger pride!
All interested members of the public are invited to attend a Friday, October 9, 2026, induction ceremony on the campus of Mansfield High School to celebrate this growing membership of former celebrated Tigers. Ceremonial events, to be held in conjunction with the Mansfield versus Paris football game, will introduce Mallory Ward Bowman, Steve Hattabaugh, Kenny Holland, Nathan McLean, Cheyenne Derr Parker, Wendy Hicks Trozzi-Watt, Heather Ward, and Sue Ward into the exclusive MHS club.
Nearly five decades’ worth of Mansfield graduates will be familiar with Sue Ward, the elder stateswoman of the eight inductees. A 1959 Mansfield alumna, Mrs. Ward is an award-winning MHS faculty member with 49 years of service to education. What’s likely unknown to generations of Tigers is that she actually served in Washington, D.C., fresh out of college as a federal agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This came after she attended Arkansas Tech University as a member of the first Golden Suns women’s basketball team. Sue is being recognized for her influential career as an educator. Her service to Mansfield Public Schools began in 1973 where she was an award-winning director of the Family & Consumer Science Program, an Arkansas FCCLA Teacher of the Year, and an early influencer of Tiger enthusiasm as the MHS cheer sponsor.
Sue Ward’s perspicacity for academic and athletic excellence was passed down through her lineage. In a unique set of circumstances, she will enter the WOF along with her daughter, Heather Ward, and a granddaughter, Mallory Ward Bowman.
Steve Hattabaugh is another qualifying candidate off the WOF seniors’ list. This 1972 MHS alumnus was recognized for divergent abilities as a true student-athlete. In school, he was an All-Conference football player, school newspaper writer, Beta Club member, FFA affiliate, student council officer, and a top ten graduate. He earned a Doctorate in Pharmacology at UAMS. Since that time he has grown to statewide recognition as a dedicated family man, savvy property owner, and trusted pharmacist. He has been a member of the Mansfield School Board for several terms, an influential athletic booster, and a prominent proponent of progress in Scott, Logan, and Sebastian Counties. His noteworthy influence has helped to ensure academic, athletic, and structural growth within the Mansfield School District.
Kenny Holland is a 1980 Mansfield High School graduate. His acclaim carries across two distinct careers. First, he was an award-winning athletic trainer in college, the pros, and the workplace. He was on the sidelines as Gayle Kaundart’s Westark Lions won an NJCAA basketball championship. He was similarly a student trainer for Nolan Richardson’s Tulsa University basketball team that won the 1981 NIT. He also had a stint serving as an assistant trainer when the New England Patriots went to Super Bowl XX. Kenny worked several years as the lead trainer for Holt Krock Clinic serving the sidelines of over 20 schools. Second, he entered the education field full-time. He taught, coached, and served in administrative roles for 25 years before early retirement. His stops, which offered state championship teams along the way, included stays in Mansfield, Danville, and Lavaca.
Wendy Hicks Trozzi-Watt is being recognized for her achievements as a mid-eighties Lady Tiger. This 1986 alumna was an All-District, All-Region, and All-State point guard on Mansfield’s first state championship basketball team. She would go on to set four individual school records upon her graduation including leader for assists in a game, assists in a season, field goal percentage in a game, and steals in a game. Her high school teams won an astounding 78% of their career games. As one of the first highly successful basketball teams in Tiger red and white, her group won conference, district, regional, and state championships before graduating. She also participated in the early developmental days of Lady Tiger volleyball and track. Trozzi-Watt is a resident of Little Rock and is part of the management team at Compquest Case Management, Inc.
Colonel Nathan McLean is Chief of Operations and Training for the U.S. Army Chaplains’ Corps. As a 1990 Mansfield student-athlete he was praised for his leadership in the classroom and his athleticism on the court and along the track. He was a 2-year starter on the MHS basketball team and a record-holding runner for the track team. His long-distance running abilities caught the eye of legendary Arkansas Razorback coach John McDonnell. Consequently, he became an invited walk-on with the Running Razorbacks. That opportunity put him in contact with the UofA’s ROTC Program. That launched a long, meritorious military career, first with the Army Reserves, then full time Active Duty. He has served with distinction domestically and abroad in Afghanistan, East Germany, Iraq, and Ukraine. He holds a bachelor’s and 3 master’s degrees in subjects related to communication, divinity, professional counseling, and organizational leadership. He is currently Chief of Staff to the U.S. Army Center and chaplain school at Fort Jackson – Columbia, South Carolina. Before that, he served in a leadership role within the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
Heather Ward is recognized as one of the best Lady Tigers basketball players through the mid-nineties. As a 1996 Mansfield graduate, she left high school as the all-time record holder for points in a season, points in a game, and steals in a season. Many of her records held true until just this past season. She was a 3-year starter and All-State performer in a program that won 64 career games with district and conference championships. Heather played basketball at Westark Community College and was offered D1 scholarships upon her graduation to Ball State University and Gardner Webb University. She was also a multi-sport star in high school, participating in volleyball, track, and men’s baseball before softball was played in school. She went from Westark to the University of Arkansas to earn a degree in Interior Design.
Cheyenne Derr Parker represents a newer generation of Tigers. This 2010 MHS graduate is recognized as one of the most heralded Lady Tiger volleyball and track athletes of her generation. Her role was enormous as Mansfield won a 3A volleyball state title, four 1A-4A indoor track state championships, and four 3A outdoor track state titles. Individually, she was the MVP of the 2009 volleyball finale, All-State Tournament, All-State, and AHSCA All-Star. She parlayed that experience into a 4-year scholarship opportunity to Henderson State University to play volleyball and earn a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Developmental Therapy. Later she would earn a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health, Marriage and Family Therapy at John Brown University. As a high school track athlete, she was All-State, MOC Qualifier, State Heptathlete Top 15, and state, district, and school record holder in the triple jump, 4x400m relay and 4x800m relay.
Mallory Ward Bowman, Sue’s granddaughter and Heather’s niece, won numerous individual and team state championships as a multi-sport athlete. This 2014 Mansfield senior was the class 3A state pole vault champion and still holds the state and school record for the event. Her track teams won 3 indoor state titles, 1 outdoor title and a runner-up trophy, for which she was All-State and a MOC Qualifier. She also helped capture 2 volleyball state championships as an All-State and All-Star performer. She was also on Mansfield’s first state champion softball team, for which she later earned All-State honors and was nominated for the AHSCA All-Star game. This class salutatorian was also an All-District basketball player who contributed to that unit’s trip to the state tournament. Mallory is a nurse by trade, but helps develop future Tigers through volunteer work as a club volleyball coach.
These individuals are a perfect example of what the Wall of Fame was made for. Their accolades and influences throughout their Mansfield careers and even after are an inspiration to all whom have crossed their paths. All eight inductees are scheduled to make an appearance on October 9 at the MHS cafeteria for an informal and free reception starting at 5:15 PM. To follow, the WOF Class of 2026 will serve as honorary captains at the 7:00 PM scheduled football game that same evening. An induction ceremony with presentation of medals will begin at halftime. In order to witness the actual Wall of Fame ceremony, tickets to the game are required.
